Fractal
by ariaT27
Summary: At the core of all living beings is something known as Kode. Creatures called Mon prey on this Kode to survive. The Fractal Warriors are tasked with protecting Human Kode by all means necessary. Even if it means sacrificing their own humanity in the process... Rated T for now, may change to M later on.
1. Of Kode and Mon

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon. Sometimes I wonder whether or not I even own my own ideas. I mean, don't I just synthesize what I see, hear, and read into something else? Food for thought.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Of Kode and Mon**

_Do you want to know a secret? A secret privy to only a chosen few?_

_At the core of every living being is something known as Kode. Kode makes up a being's heart…his soul, some might say. The very essence of a being is inscribed in its Kode. Kode reflects the being's physical and mental state in the truest way possible. It deteriorates as the being ages and dies. It darkens as the being falls into the pits of despair. Normally, a being's Kode is hidden away from view. However, when he is severely injured, his Kode becomes visible. This is when he is the most vulnerable._

_Vulnerable to what, you ask? Well, in this world, there are creatures that prey on Kode. They are known as Mon. Most people cannot see Mon, but they are all around us. You've heard of them, haven't you? Ghosts, witches, boogie men. Forty percent of Mon are free-living, picking off the Kode of other Mon. These cause small disturbances usually attributed to run-of-the-mill apparitions. What most people don't know is that the remaining Mon actually depend on humans to survive. About 35 percent live harmlessly attached to a human's Kode, only absorbing what they need. Another 20 percent act as parasites, devouring their human's Kode, taking over their identities and bodies. These Mon may go so far as to use their hosts to attack other humans and steal their Kode to become stronger. As for the last 5 percent, they have formed contracts with their humans, granting their hosts incredible powers. _

_Keep in mind that this power comes at a price—drawing on a Mon's abilities means giving it free access to your Kode. And if you aren't careful, you might lose yourself to the beast inside…_

xxx

"Come back here, you thief!" Takuya Kanbara screamed as he weaved through the crowd of people in the red light district of Shibuya. The brunette was in hot pursuit of a black-haired teenage girl carrying a large burlap knapsack.

"Ugh! Screw it!" the boy exclaimed as he stumbled over a broken beer bottle. He pulled a grappling gun from his belt and fired. The hook fastened to a window ledge as the line pulled Takuya with it. Said gun was a part of his standard uniform as a member of Fractal Corp, a secret organization dedicated to the protection of human Kode. More specifically, Takuya was one of Fractal's Warriors, a special unit tasked with neutralizing Mon threats. As such, his uniform was designed for both stealth and battle. His attire consisted of a long jacket with a pair of pants. Various pockets lined the outfit, concealing such objects as explosives and throwing knives. A belt held a communicator, a company-mandated grappling gun (which could also double as a stun gun) and Takuya's weapon of choice—darts laced with a heat-stable tranquilizer. The entire ensemble was completely black except for a red W-shaped insignia on his left breast pocket which indicated his position in the corporation. The tinted goggles on the fifteen-year-old's head were his own personal touch.

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop was his fellow Warrior Kouji Minamoto. He too was wearing the standard Fractal uniform, but his dark blue hair was secured back with a blue and white striped bandanna. Attached to his back was Kouji's weapon of choice, a pair of twin swords with a wolf head engraved onto each hilt.

"Can't you ever do anything right?" the raven-haired boy yelled in annoyance.

"Hey! It's not my fault that the chick suddenly set off a smoke screen in the middle of the store! That wasn't on her file," Takuya protested.

"It was your fault for getting distracted by it," Kouji barked as the duo closed in on their quarry.

"Gotcha!" Takuya said as he summoned a ball of fire out of thin air. With perfect accuracy, he hit the target's shoulder from above.

"Stay away from me!" the girl screamed. Putrid smoke shot out of her palms, shrouding the area in complete darkness.

"Oops. I think my flames made it worse." Takuya rubbed his head sheepishly.

"Imbecile." Taking advantage of the potential energy at his height, Kouji dived and tackled the target to the ground. With a swift chop, he knocked the criminal out. Right on cue, a ring of Kode appeared around her body. A smoke-shaped Mon could be seen clinging to a small hole in the strip of zeroes and ones.

"Thank goodness! The damage is minimal. The guys in the Digitizing Division can still purify her," the brunette said. He had jumped down himself when the smoke had started to subside. "Though she'll still have to serve some time for the jewels that she stole…funny how Mon possessions can worsen destructive tendencies, huh? Uh, Kouji, are you even listening to me?"

Suddenly, two hands shot out and grabbed Takuya by the collar. His partner's eyes flashed dangerously. "What the hell was that?" Kouji spat.

"I told you! I didn't expect that she could make smoke—"

"Not that," the blue-haired boy gritted. "Why did you use your fire ability? It was a Level 1 Mon! You could have easily stopped her without it!"

"Wha-" Takuya blinked in surprise. "What do you mean? Why shouldn't I? What's the point in me making a contract with Aguni if I don't get to blast fire at people every once in a while?"

"You shouldn't be relying on those things to fight! They'll swallow your Kode before you even know what hit you," Kouji snapped. He slammed the brunette back into the wall of a dilapidated building.

"All of the other Warriors are Mon users too! In fact, you're the only field agent I know who doesn't have one," Takuya said as he struggled to break free of his partner's grasp. "Why do you hate them so much anyways?"

Kouji's face darkened. "That's none of your business." He threw the gogglehead unceremoniously to the ground and stalked off.

"Awww, man. Not again. The guy needs to take a chill pill once in a while," Takuya groaned as he picked himself up. The Warrior sighed. "Now I gotta call HQ to pick her up. This really sucks!"


	2. The Calm

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon. Sometimes I wonder whether or not I even own my own ideas. I mean, don't I just synthesize what I see, hear, and read into something else? Food for thought.

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Calm**

Fractal HQ was located on one of the minor Islands off the eastern coast of Japan. The precise coordinates were protected by a cloaking mechanism and an elite team of cyber hackers. The base was shaped like a pyramid with three main wings, one for each division. On the ground floor of the establishment was the common lounge area where the cafeteria was located. At the tip of the pyramid was Central Command. Mission requests were processed and sent from Command to the proper division for execution. For security purposes, the true identity of the Fractal Head of Command was kept a well-guarded secret. Section chiefs always received their orders by electronic correspondence. Face-to-face conversations were strictly forbidden lest their enemies were to pinpoint and assassinate their leader.

These elaborate security measures were imperative due to the nature of the organization's work. Fractal was the world leader in dealing with Mon disasters. International governments enlisted the clandestine help of Fractal Tectors to investigate mysterious occurrences allegedly caused by Mon. Fractal Digitizers researched the Kode-Mon relationship and purified possessed Kodes of the creatures. Fractal Warriors subdued dangerous Mon and Mon possession cases. Salvageable Kodes were sent in for purification. Those Kodes judged to be too far gone were eliminated by killing both Mon and host.

So let us get back to one of our favorite Warriors shall we?

Takuya was currently being chastised by his supervisor, Renji Oda. The bald fifty-five-year-old sported a salmon haramaki wrapped tightly around a white kimono. As the man trembled in frustration, his signature goatee wagged back and forth. "It was a simple mission. Go in and apprehend a shoplifter with a Level 1 Mon. How did it turn into a chase throughout the streets of Shibuya? Do you know how long it took to do damage control?"

"Cut us some slack, old man! We didn't have any information on her skills at all. Besides, why am I the only one getting yelled at? Kouji's the one that up and left before the pick-up guys arrived!" the gogglehead shot back.

"_Kouji_ was the one who actually caught the perp, you dolt!" Oda cried.

"That's right, you dolt," Tada Horie echoed. Horie was the complete opposite of Oda in both mentality and stature. Although the two joined Fractal at the same time, Horie never climbed up the ranks due to his sheer incompetence. The lanky man would have been fired quite a few years back if not for his longtime companion.

"Don't barge into other people's conversations! And for God's sake, put on a shirt." Oda snapped the waistband of Horie's red sweatpants.

"Owww…never! Shirts are evil!" Horie exclaimed as he ran out the door.

"What am I going to do with you all?" Oda sighed. The plump man turned back to face Takuya.

"Just let us be? Honestly, not everyone can become a Celestial Angel like Lord Shuichiro," the brunette said with fingers crossed behind his back.

"That's right! Shu-chan makes Papa so proud. Earning the highest title a Fractal Warrior can achieve at the tender age of 20," Oda rambled, happily. "Did you know he's turning 25 this year?"

"Of course, I do. You know what, I'm gonna start planning his surprise party right now!" said the Warrior as he scrambled out of the office.

"Phew! Close one," Takuya mused. He scratched his head with a gloved hand. "I wonder where bandanna boy is brooding?" A loud rumbling noise interrupted his thoughts. "Meh. He'll show up sooner or later. Gotta grab some grub first," he laughed.

xxx

_In the Fractal cafeteria…_

"And what would you like to eat today, Mr. Kanbara?" an elderly woman smiled from behind the counter.

"You know me, Misaki. Any kind of meat. Sukiyaki, Korean bulgogi, Swedish meatballs…" the gogglehead rattled off.

"I guess a tongue-lashing from Oda didn't affect your appetite at all," a girl said from the front of the line.

"Hey, Zoe! Nah, between Kouji and my mom, I'm pretty used to getting yelled at," Takuya shrugged. "Besides, I played the Shuichiro card."

The blonde just giggled at his reply. At only 15, Izumi "Zoe" Orimoto was the liaison between Fractal HQ and its Italian branch. One of Takuya's best friends, the headstrong girl was a Warrior who specialized in controlling wind currents with Kaze, her contracted Mon. In addition to the typical uniform, she wore a fuchsia hat with pointed tips. Zoe's favorite weapon was a steel fan attached to her back.

"That's our Takky for ya," Junpei "J.P." Shibiyama commented. Fractal typically issued mission assignments in pairs, and J.P. was Zoe's chosen partner in the field. As opposed to Takuya's unruly mop, J.P. preferred to keep his brown hair cropped short. A year older than the other members in the group, J.P. was also the most muscular. Before he joined Fractal, J.P. used the thunder abilities of his Mon, Beetle, to hack into Swiss bank accounts and glean money from criminals. His mastery of technology had gotten the team out of numerous scrapes in the past. J.P.'s spin on the uniform included two blue wristbands and a pair of brass knuckles hanging off of his belt.

"Here you go, dear," Misaki handed the fire user a tray of food.

"Thank you," said the gogglehead. Addressing his teammates, "Let's sit down." The trio chose a table next to the flat screen that displayed important Fractal news. "How'd your mission go yesterday?" the boy asked as he stabbed a meatball with his chopsticks.

"We were investigating some strange snow storms in Shinjuku. Those Digitizer guys think that an ice-based Mon is to blame," Zoe answered. She wasted no time in devouring her plate of lasagna.

"They're really erratic. The storms show no correlation to Zoe's reported air currents or predicted weather fronts," J.P. added. "We have narrowed the search region down to a few blocks where the storms are most frequent though."

"Maybe I can help you out tonight? We took care of our case already, so I'm free," Takuya offered through a mouth of steak.

"Sounds good," said Zoe. She pointed her knife at Takuya's face. "By the way, word on the grapevine is that the couple got into another fight."

"For the last time, we are _not_ going out. Kouji was just being difficult about me using my fire powers again," Takuya retorted.

"Well, you do tend to go overboard sometimes," J.P. reasoned. "And you need to remember, Kouji has been working for Fractal much longer than the rest of our little group. When you take out the Celestial Angels, he's also the Warrior who has the most experience. Which is saying something considering how he fights on his own power. I get that he might think the rest of us are lazy."

"I've seen full-grown men break down after only three days on the job. I can only imagine the things that he has seen," Zoe muttered into her salad. "He's probably just worried about you."

A shadow fell over the fire Warrior's eyes. "I know," he whispered. The other two did not know how to respond to this statement, so the rest of the meal continued in relative silence with the TV praising the successes of the three Celestial Angels in diverting yet another Mon catastrophe.

After they finished their plates, the trio let out a collective yawn. "I swear that the cafeteria food is drugged. I always get so sleepy afterwards," Takuya complained.

"Yeah, nothing to do with the blood flow being diverted to digesting your food instead of your brain," J.P. chuckled.

"Takuya has a brain? That's news to me!" Zoe gasped in a shocked tone.

"Hey!"

"We're just messing with you. Go to bed. See ya in a few hours," J.P. said. The three parted ways at the entrance to the Warrior dormitories. It was already nearing high noon.

xxx

_Five hours later…_

Kouji awoke to the persistent beeping of his communicator. After his quarrel with Takuya, he had returned home for some well-deserved rest. Like his other team members, he worked mostly at night and slept during the day. This sleeping schedule wreaked havoc on his natural biorhythms, and the constant interruptions did nothing to improve his mood. "What now?" He thought in irritation. The raven-haired boy rolled over to the uniform draped over his bedside table and switched on the device. "Minamoto here."

"Ah! Kouji! We have a mission for you and Takuya. Are you two up for it?" Oda's voice crackled through the comm.

"..." the Warrior really did not feel like dealing with his hotheaded partner tonight. "Send me the details. I'll go it alone." Kouji flipped off of his bed and began pulling on his pants.

"Ehh..but this one might be a bit on the tough side." The teenager could almost hear the frown in the supervisor's voice.

Slipping his two swords into their sheaths, Kouji growled, "Don't underestimate me."

xxx

_Meanwhile…_

At a certain house on the outskirts of Shinjuku, a young brown-haired boy was curled in the fetal position. "No, please don't," he whimpered. A dark storm cloud swirled ominously above the ceiling as he pleaded with demons that only he could see.


	3. Fire and Ice

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon. Sometimes I wonder whether or not I even own my own ideas. I mean, don't I just synthesize what I see, hear, and read into something else? Food for thought.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Fire and Ice**

"There's nothing there."

"Stop making stuff up, dumbass."

"Is this some perverted way of crying for attention?"

"Seriously, you're frigging twelve. Grow up already!"

No one believed him when he told them about the things he saw.

"But I'm not lying. There really is something on your shoulder. It's red with purple stripes and-"

"Enough already! How long are you going to keep this up?" Satsuki Himi demanded. Huge emerald eyes stared back at her. "Why can't you act normal for once?"

Not even his own mother.

So he convinced himself that everything was a figment of his imagination. The creatures lurking around every street corner and hanging out on the rooftops were not real. There were no such things as walking plants. Dinosaurs were extinct. None of this existed.

And it had worked. Until he started hearing a voice in his head.

_People only see what they want to see.__  
_  
_Denying it doesn't make it any less real.__  
_  
Once the voices started, his parents pulled him out of school. They locked him away in his room so that he would not bring more shame to the Himi name. Not even his brother, Yutaka, was allowed to see him. He was considered a freak, a threat to society.

_Do you want to show them what we can really do?__  
_  
No, he did not. Tommy just wanted all of it to go away.

Xxx

In an abandoned building across the street, three figures were observing the scene as ice crystals spontaneously materialized outside of Tommy's window.

"Do you think he knows what he's doing?" Zoe asked.

"Probably not. He's letting his emotions run wild," J.P. speculated as they watched the young child clasp his hands around his ears. The burly thunder user cracked his knuckles.

"Wait a second! What are you going to do?" Takuya asked, shocked.

"Eliminating the source of the ice storms. It's what we came here to do," the hacker answered as electricity crackled at his fingertips.

"Nooo! You just said that he doesn't know what he's doing!" Takuya exclaimed. Arms flailing, he jumped in front of the older teen.

"What should we do then?" J.P. demanded. He waved a hand at the window. "Do you feel that? The surge in energy around that boy is unmistakable. Pretty soon, Mon of all kinds will be flocking here, drawn to the power of his Mon. And judging by the extent of the Mon's powers, there's no hope of saving his Kode."

"What a shame. He's so young." Zoe frowned. The Fire Warrior seemed to visibly deflate.

"What if he becomes one of us?" Takuya asked suddenly.

"Say what?" His friends exclaimed.

"What if I can talk him into forming a contact with his Mon and joining Fractal?" Takuya said. Gaining momentum, he quickly added, "You said that it's really powerful, right? It would never hurt to add an ice user to our team."

"It could work," J.P. conceded. "But-"

"Please just give it a shot," the gogglehead begged. The expressions of the two more experienced agents softened.

"Alright. You have one hour to convince him to join our side," Zoe stated. "If it doesn't work, we eliminate him just like any other advanced Mon possession case. Absolutely no arguments."

The fire user clapped his hands together in front of his face. "Don't worry! He'll join us. You'll see," he affirmed as he jumped out the window.

"That boy…" Zoe sighed.

"Sentimentality will be the death of him."

Xxx

"This is going to be annoying," Kouji mentally sighed from his perch on the rafters of an abandoned warehouse. From his vantage point, he observed as two adults (if he could still call them that) brutally whipped a small boy tied to a chair. One of the adults was covered in bandages from head to toe, as if he had just walked out of an Egyptian sarcophagus. The other was a female with long white hair. Her upper body resembled that of a woman, but her lower body was shaped like a spider. As he watched the events unfold, he thought back to his mission briefing.

"There have been numerous reports of children going missing around the southern docks in Sector 8. Evidence suggests to us that some high-level Mon might be involved. Your job is to rescue the kids and kill the Mon responsible."

"I have a feeling that I won't be able to fulfill the first part of the assignment," the raven-haired Warrior thought as he surveyed the floor below. The corpses of children ages 2 to 7 were strewn throughout the warehouse, without a doubt stripped of their Kode. The stench of the decaying bodies did not seem to faze the couple at all. They just continued their torment of their remaining victim. "I have to do something fast or he won't make it either," Kouji mused. The whip cut into pale flesh as the poor tike's green jumper was reduced to shreds.

Thinking quickly, Kouji tossed a lit firecracker into the far corner of the room. As the two individuals turned to investigate the disturbance, he jumped and landed behind the boy. With a short dagger, he cut through the victims' bonds with ease. Kouji was about to pick him up and hoist him to safety when a stream of sticky thread whizzed past the Warrior's ear.

"What do you think you're doing, Fractal scum?" the spider-lady sneered.

Kouji shrugged. "Freeing a helpless little kid from the clutches of an old hag and her boy toy," he answered, nonchalantly.

"What did you say?!" she screamed. Arukeni was quite proud of the host that she had managed to acquire. The human used to be an international model before the Mon ate her Kode and stole her body. In Arukeni's opinion, she was the epitome of beauty.

"Don't you dare talk to my pumpkin that way!" Mummy yelled. He had eaten the Kode of the model's buffoon of a mate in order to stay by the side of his beloved Arukeni.

"I tell it as it is," Kouji said. Nudging the little boy clinging to his arm, he instructed, "Go hide behind that stack of crates for now. It won't take long to deal with these freak shows." The former hostage nodded and scurried off as he was told.

"Insolent brat!" Arukeni shot another sticky mass of webbing at Kouji's head. The Warrior sliced the projectile in half with one of his swords. He flicked his other sword at the spiderwoman's legs. The blade tore through one of her lower appendages before flying back into his outstretched hand like a boomerang.

"Aaaahhh!" Arukeni yelled as she toppled to the ground.

"You'll pay for that!" Mummy screamed as he sent a wave of musky bandages in Kouji's direction.

Xxx

_They don't believe you. But I do. I'll always be here for you._

"Shut up!" Tommy screeched.

"Whoa there. Easy, buddy," Takuya coaxed. He had slipped through the second story window just a few seconds prior.

"Aaaahhh!" Tommy dove behind his mahogany dresser.

"Relax. I'm not here to hurt you. Well, technically I am, but that's-" Takuya rambled.

"Who are you?" Tommy interrupted, still trembling in apprehension.

"Err...Takuya Kanbara, Fractal Warrior at your service." The older boy stared at the child who seemed to be torn between talking and screaming his head off. To be completely honest, he was expecting some more resistance from someone with such a strong Mon.

"What do you want with me?" the younger boy inquired. Huh. It appeared that he opted for the first choice.

"That depends." Takuya put a gloved hand on his chin. "I guess I came here to give you an ultimatum: make a contract with your Mon and join Fractal or my friends-" he jerked a thumb in Zoe and J.P.'s direction "-will be forced to kill you."

"M-my what? And what?" Tommy stammered. His parents had always called him a menace to society. Maybe society had finally decided to take care of him once and for all?

"You see them, don't you?"

"Huh?"

"The little monsters crawling all over the place. They're called Mon for short. Your room is practically infested with them." The two scanned the area. Sure enough, small Level 1 and 2 Mon were clinging to the walls and furniture. They ranged from black cat heads to irregular pink blobs.

"Wait. You see them too?" Tommy asked. "They're real?" With this remark, Tommy crawled out from his hiding place and stood in front of Takuya.

"Of course!" Takuya paused. "To both questions."

"But no one else can see them." The possessed boy was intrigued with the suggestion that someone might have shared his experiences. That he was not alone.

"The only people that can see these things have Mon that let them do so. Aguni, my Mon, grants me this ability so that I can do my job as a Warrior-eliminating Mon that get out of hand." Takuya's gaze hardened. "Like yours."

"So one of those creepy things is inside me? And it's out of control?" Tommy asked, fearfully.

"At the moment," Takuya responded. The younger brunette visibly tensed. "You need to rein in your powers. The energy levels you're giving off are bound to attract some nasty visitors."

"B-But I don't know how," Tommy whimpered.

"Do you hear a voice inside your head? One that doesn't belong?" Tommy hesitated before nodding his head. "That's your Mon. Form a contract with it, and make it your partner. Then, you'll be able to use its ice abilities at will."

"A contract?" echoed Tommy. "What's-" Takuya abruptly silenced him with a raised finger. The Warrior seemed to be listening intently to the wall, his head cocked to the side.

"Something's coming this way," he announced. As if on cue, an explosion sounded from the first floor of the building. Terrified screams pierced the air.

Xxx

Kouji relaxed his muscles as Mummy's bandages wrapped around his right wrist. With a sharp jerk, he caused the Mon to lose his balance. The Warrior twisted his body and brought his leg crashing down onto Mummy's neck. Stunned, Mummy fell to his knees. Arukeni chose this moment to send a web at the former child hostage. Kouji was unfazed. He tossed a dust bomb at the sticky netting. The debris clung to the threads, rendering them harmless. Taking advantage of the low visibility, the agent dashed towards the injured Arukeni.

Not to be outdone, Arukeni changed back to her two-legged form and sidestepped Kouji's deadly blades. She grabbed a fistful of her hair and muttered, "Spirit Needle!" As if hexed, the white strands floated out of her grasp and merged into the nearest inanimate objects. The items morphed into small armored spiders. "Attack, my babies!" Together, the creatures spit poison at the lone Warrior.

"That's new," Kouji thought as he somersaulted behind a crate. After a few seconds of consideration, he threw a metal circle over the box. Four blades popped out from the device. The blades spun rapidly, creating a miniature tornado that blew the tiny arachnids into the walls. "Gotta thank Zoe for that little gadget later." When the winds died down, Kouji leaped out from his hiding place with his twin swords poised to strike. However, the Mon was nowhere to be seen.

"Crap. Takuya's sloppiness is wearing off on me," Kouji said. A groan brought his attention to his previous opponent. Mummy was stirring from his spot on the warehouse floor. Kouji rolled his eyes, "Die already!" One flick of his wrist later, a twirling sword separated the Mon's head from the rest of his body.

Xxx

Spider-shaped Mon flooded the streets after Arukeni's Spirit Needle attack. All of them were headed towards the Himi residence.

Zoe sighed. "Looks like we have company."

"I told Takuya that this would happen," said J.P. He slipped on his brass knuckles while the blonde readied her fan.

"Regardless, we did promise him an hour," Zoe shrugged as she opened the window.

"Guess we gotta keep our word, eh?"

The two snickered as they plunged into the sea of insects.

Xxx

"Mom! Dad! Yutaka!" Tommy cried. The pair raced down the stairs to the source of the racket.

"Not good," Takuya breathed. The room was being overrun by hundreds of spider-shaped Mon. The rest of the Himi family was hanging from the ceiling, tightly encased in silvery white cocoons. A woman clad in red ran her bony fingers over the threads. Half of her head was bald. The other half was covered with what seemed to be white hair.

"I was wondering where all of that power was leaking from," Arukeni said. She smiled at Tommy. "Now give it to me!" she yelled. "Go, my pets!" The spiders leaped at the two brunettes.

"Sorry. He's ours," Takuya stated. He drew three darts from his belt and set them aflame. Turning to face Tommy, "You save your folks. I'll take care of this bitch."

"I never said I'm coming with you!"

The fire user laughed. "I told you already. It's that or die. Not really much of a choice if you ask me." Tommy just stared as Takuya struck down thirty spiders with his pyro darts. The fire user charged headfirst at Arukeni, fist outstretched.

"I have no choice," Tommy repeated. He dashed to the three cocoons and started tearing at the strands. Despite his efforts, the fibers refused to budge. His eyes were brimming with tears. "Nothing's working. I need to get them out. But how?" The little boy scanned the room for anything that he could use. He paused at the frost clinging to the windowpane. "Form a contract," he answered himself. Closing his eyes, he searched deep within himself for the presence that had always been there.

Xxx

Tommy opened his eyes to frozen tundra. Gigantic glaciers rose from the snow-covered ground. Against the laws of gravity, intricate snowflakes were suspended in midair. Instinctively, he knew that he should have been cold. He was only wearing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts after all. A white cloud formed in front of his face every time he exhaled. However, his imperviousness to cold was the least of his concerns. There was a reason why he came to this kingdom of ice. And that reason stood directly before him in the form of a white polar bear with an assault rifle on his back.

_Well, hi there._ The bear grinned. _What brings you to the mindscape?_

"I need your help." Tommy swallowed. "Please lend me your power."

The bear chuckled. _I've been waiting a long time to hear that._

"Takuya said something about a contract. What do I have to do?" Tommy asked.

The Mon stepped forward. _Are you willing to open your Kode to me?_

The boy nodded.

_Alright, Tomoki Himi._ The bear placed his icy paws on the brunette's forehead. Where the two touched, a glowing green light appeared. _In exchange for your Kode, I hereby bestow upon you the powers of ice. Seal this contract by calling my name._ The bear faded from view as the entire scene dissipated.

Xxx

"It's time to show them what we can do," Tommy said when he returned to the real world. For the first time in years, the brunette smiled with confidence. "KUMA!" he shouted with his hand raised in a peace sign. He felt the Mon's power flowing through his entire body. It was as if his core had become one with the ice. Instead of being unyielding and cold, Tommy's ice was pure and clean. Although ice was generally considered fragile, Tommy's essence was not so easily broken. His bond with Kuma gave him new strength to defeat his foes.

Tommy took a deep breath and blew frigid air onto the cocoons. The silver threads froze instantly. "Hiya!" Tommy cried as he punched through the brittle strands to free his unconscious family members from their confinement.

Xxx

From across the room, a gogglehead watched as Tommy broke through the cocoons. "Looks like he'll be fine," Takuya thought, affectionately. Turning his attention back to his own fight, he smirked at Arukeni. The Warrior had finished off all of her spider spawn with his darts. Only the insect master was left, and even she was looking worse for wear, with parts of her skin completely charred beyond recognition. "Time to get serious."

"Don't count me out just yet," Arukeni said. She ripped out a handful of her white locks and screamed, "Spirit Nee-" Her cry was interrupted when gloved hand appeared from out of nowhere and pulled her backwards by her hair. The other hand grabbed her wrist in a death grip. The spiderwoman's eyes widened in fear. When had he slipped behind her?

Takuya whispered into her ear, "I'm not quite sure what you have in mind but I'm assuming that you need this to do it." With that remark, tendrils of flame shot out of his palms and traveled up Arukeni's hair, setting the pure strands of white ablaze.

"N-NOOOO!" Arukeni shrieked. Her precious hair crumbled to ash before her very eyes.

"You're finished," Takuya stated arms wrapped around her from behind. In another instance, the pose would have looked quite romantic. As it were, the position only filled the lady with dread. The Warrior retrieved another dart from his belt and stabbed Arukeni. Straight through the heart. The motion was so quick that only a few drops of blood trickled from the wound before the possessed woman crumbled to the ground.

A shadow fell across her prone figure. "Seems as if you took care of my pest problem," Kouji said to his partner. He was holding a small child in his arms. Upon seeing Arukeni's body, the bandanna-wearing Warrior's young charge shuddered uncontrollably. "Hey, kid, what's wrong?" Kouji looked uncharacteristically worried about the little dark-haired boy.

"M-mom, mom!" he wailed.

"Mom?" the Warriors repeated in shock.

"You'll pay!" the child shouted. He opened his mouth to reveal two rows of sharpened fangs and bit down on Kouji's arm.

"You little brat! You've been possessed too!" Kouji yelled as he shook the child onto the ground. Takuya took a defensive stance, eyeing the false hostage with caution.

The kid attempted to stand, but a bolt of lightning struck the kid back down. "Hehe...hope we're not too late," J.P. said as he entered the house with Zoe at his heels. They had cleared the nearby streets of Arukeni's minions with their combined thunder and wind attacks.

"Thanks a lot, you guys!" Takuya beamed. "Hey, Kouji, are you okay?"

The gogglehead only received a pained grunt in reply. The blue-haired Warrior was desperately clawing at the teeth marks on his left shoulder. His face had turned frighteningly pale, and his breathing had become increasingly labored. Before the other Warriors could react, the teen swayed and fell onto the cold ceramic floor.

"Kouji! KOUJI!"

* * *

**A/N: Geez. That was a long chapter. For me, anyway. I have issues writing things this length, so please don't expect this much from me in the future. I just couldn't figure out a good place to stop midway, and I really wanted to end with that particular scene. This was my first time writing a fight scene, and of course, I decide to have multiple (bangs head on desk). I was going to have Zoe and J.P. fight onscreen, but it was just too much for one chapter. Don't worry, they'll get their chance to shine. Eventually. Hopefully, this story is living up to your expectations. It's my first multichapter, so I would love to know what you think of it so far. Please read and review!**


	4. No Thanks for the Memories

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon. Sometimes I wonder whether or not I even own my own ideas. I mean, don't I just synthesize what I see, hear, and read into something else? Food for thought.

* * *

**Chapter 4: No Thanks for the Memories**

"How's he doing?" Takuya asked, impatiently. After Kouji fainted at the Himi house, the Fire Warrior had rushed him to the infirmary in the Digitizer department of Fractal HQ. About five hours had passed without word of the raven.

"His condition has stabilized, but he's still in a lot of pain. Regular anesthetics aren't working. We are trying our best to develop an antidote. Unfortunately, we have never come across this poison before, so it might take a while," the doctor replied.

Takuya scowled. "I'll wait here then."

The doctor said, "That won't be necessary. Mr. Minamoto's appointed guardian shall be arriving shortly."

"Lady Fan Ting's coming? The Celestial Warrior?" was the gogglehead's shocked reply.

"The one and only."

Xxx

"Are you sure about this?" Zoe asked. "There is no turning back." After Takuya's hurried departure, the wind and thunder users had been left to tie up loose ends.

"Wouldn't you kill me otherwise? That's what Takuya said." Tommy's face remained expressionless. Forming a contract with an Ice Mon definitely helped him in dealing with emotional matters such as these. The old sayings about hearts made of ice did hold merit after all.

"True. Especially so now that you've formed a contract with a Mon. It's far too dangerous to let someone like you to roam free," J.P. asserted. "However, as a Warrior, you will soon come to realize that there are worse things in this world than death. You might regret it, kid." The older boy pulled out a thin hexagon-shaped slab of plastic from his coat pocket. With a few swipes, a holographic screen appeared. He began typing furiously away at the blue keypad with his left hand.

"When someone joins Fractal, he must cut all ties that he had to his previous life. Friends, family, anyone who knew about his association with Mon-they must all have their memories erased," Zoe recited. "I've been doing this for years, but this is still one of the worst parts of the job." The blonde stepped up to the unconscious members of the Himi family and retrieved a rectangular device from the folds of her clothing. One by one, she sprayed their exposed Kodes with a brown mist.

"What's that?" Tommy asked, gesturing at the canister.

"A chemical used to wipe memories. Our scientist guys made it from some kind of forgetfulness mushroom." Zoe returned the object back to its compartment.

A loud "click" sounded from J.P.'s direction as his keyboard powered down. He gazed somberly at their newest member. "As of 3.5 seconds ago, Tomoki Himi no longer exists in this world. All records and memories of you have been deleted."

"Now is your chance to start completely anew. You can keep your old name or choose something completely different. I changed my name from Izumi to Zoe when I joined."

"And I use a variant of my given name. It went from Junpei to J.P."

The addressed boy carefully considered his seniors' words. "I want to be Tommy Himi. Permanently," he added.

The veteran agents smiled. "Welcome to Fractal, Tommy." They pulled him into a bone-crushing embrace.

Xxx

Burning. Everything was burning. The fire was consuming him. Eating him alive. Robbing him of essential oxygen. His very soul was tearing itself apart from the inside out.

Amidst the overwhelming agony, Kouji was hit with a sharp sense of recognition. The pain was familiar. It was the same one that he endured all of those years ago. This was the substance that _he_ had used.

***flashback***

"Trying to escape again, are we? My, my. Little boys should behave. Did your mother not teach you anything?" a deep male voice chastised. He raised his finger to his temple in thought. "Aaah, right. I forgot," he smirked.

Kouji tensed. "How dare he insult our dead mother? I'm gonna kill him..." the child thought. Two arms strained feebly against the shackles keeping him dangling from the ceiling. Rusty metal chains bit through papery thin skin and sunk mercilessly into the bone. Any semblance of flesh had long wasted away from lack of nourishment, thus amplifying the pain tenfold.

"In any event, naughty little boys must be disciplined." A steel needle glinted ominously in the dim light.

Kouji's eyes widened in trepidation. "No, not that. Anything but that," the sea blue orbs pleaded. But it came anyway. The sharp point pierced his exposed neck, unleashing its hellish contents into his bloodstream. If he had not been hanging two feet from the ground by his wrists, he would have punched his tormentor. As it were, he involuntarily doubled backwards in white-hot agony. The vertical chains swung back with his body and oscillated forward again. The repetitive movements made the child dizzy, adding nausea to the poison's effects. He did not have the chance to catch his breath before another wave of pain washed over him, slamming every cell of his being with the force of ten thousand pins. Every new onslaught proved more excruciating than the last.

"You know," the man grabbed the suffering raven's face between his bony fingers. He caressed the fringe of the duct tape covering the boy's mouth. "There's a reason why I silenced you this way. First, it prevents you from screaming properly. Screaming can be considered to be a coping mechanism for pain, so taping your mouth shut ensures that you feel the full brunt of the Sting Venom. Second, it keeps you from breathing through your mouth. Do you feel it, my dear boy? The searing sensation building in your chest as your lungs fight desperately for oxygen that never comes?"

The scientist only received a weak shudder in response. Between the poison, motion sickness, and lack of air, Kouji was barely conscious. His tormentor cackled before releasing the boy from his shackles. The same cold hands yanked tape off of his mouth as he crashed to the floor. Turning to his side, the raven alternated between choking on bile and gasping for oxygen. The room faded in and out of focus.

"Let this be a lesson to you. You best do what I say because no matter what you do, where you go, or who you hide behind, you can _never_ escape me. I will _always_ find you."

***end flashback***

Trembling, Kouji woke with a heart-wrenching scream. A woman with long blonde hair rushed to his bedside, bowl of cold water in hand. She wore a green version of the standard Warrior uniform. The colored outfit suggested that she was one of the highest-ranked Fractal agents. Warm arms wrapped around his shaking form. "Are you okay, honey?" Lady Fan Ting asked. It had been years since her charge displayed such raw fear.

The blue-haired teen swallowed hard. "It was him. He found me."

* * *

**A/N: Hehe. Back to my normal short chapters! My sister throws a fit because her chapters average about 3x as many words as mine. She's on this site too, but she writes for a different fandom. Anyways, this has been one of my favorite chapters by far. It's mainly Kouji-centered! We finally get some backstory on our main character. Yay! Unfortunately, Kouji doesn't talk to me as much as Takuya, so somehow Takuya ended up monopolizing most of the story thus far. I hope to turn that around, but Kouji's just not cooperating. (sigh) On another note, thank you to all who have reviewed, read, favorited or alerted. You make my day. I hope that you continue to offer me support. I really want to know what you think of these new developments. Until next time. :)**


	5. When in Fractal…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon. Sometimes I wonder whether or not I even own my own ideas. I mean, don't I just synthesize what I see, hear, and read into something else? Food for thought.

* * *

**Chapter 5: When in Fractal…**

"Another group is coming through. Prepare the transporter," a bespectacled Hispanic woman barked. At an impressive six feet, the svelte Argentinean cut an imposing figure in her silver Tector blazer and slacks. Very few people dared to cross Reina Maria-Sanchez, lead Gatekeeper of Fractal HQ.

"Relax, Queenie, the guys know what they're doing." Of course, her next-door neighbor, Takuya Kanbara, just happened to be one of those few.

"Don't. Call. Me. That!" Reina yelled as she smacked the gogglehead with her clipboard.

"Yes, ma'am," the group of silver-clad agents chorused. The men and women focused their attention back to their holographic control panels. Various lights and buttons blinked as they inputted the proper coordinates for arrival.

"Ugh! Not you guys!" Reina threw her hands up in the air.

"But that's what your name means," the Warrior protested.

Takuya was spared another beating by a blinding flash of white light. Three figures materialized on one of the raised circular platforms in the middle of the room.

"This is Fractal HQ. Our not-so-humble base of operations," J.P. announced.

Xxx

"Glad you made it back okay," Takuya commented when he recognized the newcomers.

"Memory wipes are not exactly rocket science. How's Kouji?" Zoe was much more concerned about the ebony than some routine procedure.

"Last time I checked, Lady Fan Ting was with him. They've finally figured out what's wrong, but he won't be back in action for a while." The hothead clenched a slip of paper in his fist.

"It must have been really bad if they're pulling him off the field," Zoe fretted.

"What's that?" J.P. pointed at the ball in Takuya's hand.

"Oh yeah, it's a list of herbs that Joe asked me to give to Mimi. Lady Fan Ting thinks that they'll be able to help Kouji. Oda wanted me to meet up with you guys first though."

"Joe? As in Klutzy Kido?" J.P. inquired. "The doctor with the spiky blue hair that trips on his own two feet?"

"Yeah. Clumsy as he may be, he's still the best of the best. Lady Fan Ting wouldn't trust him with Kouji otherwise. She practically threw the last doc out the window. Something about the bandages being tied clockwise instead of counterclockwise..."

Tommy stared at the three with wide eyes.

Zoe smacked herself on the forehead. "Sorry, we're probably confusing you right now. Umm...Kouji is the boy with the bandanna that we saw at your house last night. Joe is his current doctor. He goes out with Mimi Tachikawa, a plant specialist-she's the girl Takky is going to meet. Both are part of the Digitizer division, which deals with Mon research. Think of them as the scientists of the organization."

"Lady Fan Ting is one of the three Celestial Angels, who are the highest-ranked agents of the Warrior division. Warriors, like us, do most of the fighting for Fractal. Kouji is a Warrior, too," J.P. continued when the blonde paused to take a breath.

"And this lovely lady," Takuya grabbed the peeved Latina's arm. "Is part of the Tector division. They track Mon disasters and stuff. Some work on the field. Some off of it. They're like a combination of private detectives and computer technicians. It's pretty sweet."

"You may call me Reina." The woman shrugged off the brunette as if he were nothing but a clingy sweater. "Contrary to what Takuya may claim, Queenie is not my actual name."

"Hello, my name is Tommy Himi. It is very nice to meet you, Miss Reina," the ice user greeted with a bow.

Tilting her head in acknowledgement, the Gatekeeper glanced over at her now-dented clipboard. "Tommy Himi, newly accepted agent. You have been assigned to the Warrior division under Renji Oda. Starting tonight, you will be living with Takuya Kanbara and his guardians, the Haradas. You will be given your detailed schedule tomorrow. Training will last for a month. You will be instructed in equipment use, martial arts, Fractal protocol, and Mon fundamentals. Based on your individual statistics, a special weapon will be custom-made for you. Afterwards, you will be permitted to go into the field with a partner selected by the organization." She waved the children off. "You are dismissed."

A door in the wall slid open, and they were quickly ushered out.

"Typical Reina. Didn't waste any time," the fire user commented. "How about we stop by the gardens to drop this off to Mimi? Then, we can grab a bite and hit the sack." The remaining three nodded in assent and began walking.

After a few moments, Zoe twirled around to face Tommy. Still maintaining the same brisk pace, she said, "I know this is a lot to take in. Any questions?"

After a short pause, Tommy asked, "Families live here? I thought all Fractal agents have to break their worldly ties?"

J.P. was the one that responded. "There are people who are able to see Mon without being possessed. As such, they are also more likely to be coerced by one. This trait is usually genetic, so whole families have to be taken in by the organization in order to keep Mon a secret from the public. They live in the residential parts of the base. Most are drafted into becoming agents and adopting minors. The Digitizers think that having stable family environments help with our mental and Kode health."

The information took a few minutes to sink in. "What was it like to suddenly gain foster parents?" the youngest member of their team inquired. He shuddered at the memory of his old home, but was it not better to cope with a familiar prison than an unfamiliar one?

His seniors all looked at one another and then to the floor. Nervously, Takuya pulled at his goggle strap. "I don't know much about Kouji. All I know is that Lady Fan Ting recruited and adopted him way before I came here. As for me, I lost my entire family in a fire right before I formed a contract. It was a bit difficult at first." Tommy's face turned several shades whiter. "But the Haradas were really kind and considerate, so I managed to pull myself back together. I'm sure they'll help put you back on your feet too." Takuya hastily added the last part.

"I was an orphan for as long as I could remember," J.P. recalled. Takuya stiffened at this remark. "It was strange to come home to someone who actually cared about me. Stuff that I ate. Things I did. It was...nice." The muscular boy's eyes had a melancholy glint to them.

Zoe fidgeted with her hat absentmindedly. "My family is well-known for having a strong Seer bloodline, so I had a slightly different experience. I was raised on a Fractal base in Italy, and I was expected to join the agency when I came of age. I still lived with my folks even after I became a Warrior. Some things happened-" Her face contorted into a grimace. "—and I got I transferred to the Japanese branch. Although I am staying with Oda and Tada now, it really wasn't that much of a change for me," the wind user confessed.

"I'm sorry. I-I didn't know." Tommy started at these revelations. At the very least, his birth family was still alive. They didn't remember him, but they were still _alive_. And he did not have his life commandeered before he was even born. Of one thing he was certain: his new teammates were anything but ordinary.

Xxx

"We're here."

The ice user stared at the scene before him, mouth agape. They were in a glass dome with wooden beams crisscrossing the structure for support. Potted flowers of all shapes and sizes hung from the ceiling. Inexplicably, pine trees towered next to palm fronds and cacti on the soil-covered ground. Exotic fruits and flowers offered contrasting hues of red, orange, pink, purple, and blue against the lush green foliage. A light mist draped over the enclosed garden.

"Amazing, isn't it?" A twenty-year-old girl with wavy pink hair stepped out from between two oak trees. She wore a blue laboratory coat with a "D" emblazoned on her left breast pocket.

"It's more than amazing. It's wicked awesome!" Tommy exclaimed, eyes sparkling.

"Why, thank you. We try our best," the Digitizer answered.

"Hi, Mimi," Takuya greeted. "Joe told me to give you this."

The girl scrutinized the piece of paper. Biting her lip, she stated, "These are really dangerous. One wrong move and the dose can become lethal. What are they for?"

The humidity seemed to increase several times. The addressed Warrior suddenly had difficulty breathing. "It's for Minamoto, my partner," he managed to choke out.

"Kouji?!" The Digitizer was visibly shocked at the news. "Why didn't you say so earlier?" she shouted. Frantically, she cupped her hands around her mouth and called into the depths of the man-made jungle, "Oi, Teruo!"

Tree branches bent and leaves parted to reveal a young boy about Tommy's age with short sepia-tinted hair. Like Mimi, he wore a blue laboratory coat. He bowed politely at his guests before gazing at his boss expectantly.

"Gather these herbs and send them to the infirmary, stat," Mimi ordered as she threw him the paper. The mute boy signed rapidly with his hands. "Yes, force-grow them if necessary." Nodding, Teruo raised his left arm. A thick vine snaked into his awaiting grasp and down his outstretched limb. With a sharp tug, the vine propelled him away.

"We will have them ready within the hour. Don't worry. Personal bias aside, with Joe looking out for him, Kouji will be just fine," Mimi assured. A slight blush colored her cheeks.

"Thank you," Takuya breathed.

Xxx

"I can have anything?" Tommy gawked at the cafeteria lady. Never in his life had he ever been told that he could eat whatever he wanted. His parents always tossed him leftovers from the kitchen. Even then, they did it with disgusted reluctance.

"Yes, dear. Anything at all," was Misaki's patient reply. She was used to this kind of response from the new agents. Sadly, not many of them understood what love and care meant when they arrived. Society had a cruel way of alienating so-called anomalies.

"Then, can I have...um..." Tommy racked his brain for an extravagant dish. He could not think of one. "A hamburger? With onions and salad dressing on top?" he decided at last.

"Of course." A beef patty hit the griddle with a loud sizzle. The cafeteria lady did not comment on the strange selection of condiments. To each, his own.

Once he received his meal, Tommy sat down at a table with his new friends. "It's time to eat now!" The four dove into their food.

Midway through Tommy's burger, Takuya placed a hand on his shoulder. "No matter what happens, don't freak out." The Ice Warrior raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Without further warning, a small hooded figure slammed into the base of their table. Porcelain dishes trembled from the impact. "Fresh meat! Fresh meat! Grint, look! There's fresh meat!" a high-pitched voice yelped. A pair of golden eyes scanned Tommy from head to toe. The strange child broke into a sadistic grin. "Can I eat him?"

"Heel, Ferrell," a lanky man instructed. The dark-skinned Warrior twirled a blood-red scythe in the air. "He's our fellow comrade."

"Poo. You're no fun, Grint," the hooded male whimpered. Tommy swore that if the boy's ears were longer (and visible), they would have been drooping at this point.

"You should keep a tighter leash on your friend," Zoe advised with a cup of tea at her lips. The seasoned agents continued dining as if a rabid human was not drooling over their friend's lap.

"My sincere apologies. You know how he is," Grint replied. Ferrell dropped to all fours and crawled back to his partner's side.

"Grint and Ferrell are also Warriors," J.P. coolly informed Tommy. Nose wrinkled, the ice user regarded the newcomers with caution.

"What did I say about ambushing our allies?" Grint chastised his companion like one would a puppy.

"It's a very bad habit. Bad Ferrell," the child mumbled.

"Then why-" A scream interrupted the Nigerian's reproach.

"No, Van Dyke! Hang in there! Don't give up!" a woman pleaded from across the room. Long scarlet tresses clung to her tear-stricken face as she cried. Shaking his head, a gray-skinned man desperately clawed at his teeth.

"I…can't!" With a roar, he flipped the table and lunged for the nearest agent, fangs bared.

"We have to help them!" Tommy leaped out of his chair. An uncomfortable amount of pressure was applied to his shoulder. Realizing that Takuya was still holding his arm, the ice user stopped. His seniors shook their heads in unison.

"No need," Grint said. "Those Digitizers are already on it."

A group of people in blue uniforms rushed towards the deranged agent. "No, please don't! He's not going to hurt anyone. I swear!" the female Warrior screeched. Her pleas fell onto deaf ears. Steel cables immobilized the rogue agent and pulled him down. Debilitating electricity crackled through the wires. Trembling, Van Dyke dropped like a rock. A tattered ring of black Kode materialized around the fallen man. One of the Digitizers approached Myotis' contractor with a black handheld scanner.

"Don't you dare touch him. I'll rip you to pieces!" the redhead snarled. Three blades popped out from the back of her gloves as she spoke. Unfazed, eight strong arms pinned her arms behind her back and confiscated her weapon. One person held a grappler stun gun to her neck.

The man with the scanner calmly spoke. "You know the rules, Warrior Caroline. Any Fractal agent who succumbs to his Mon's power must be immediately neutralized. Their Kodes must also be collected for further investigation. We need to know more about the final possession stages to prevent future incidents." Bits of Kode were absorbed into the scanner like water to a wet sponge.

"Is that what you think of us? Pieces of data to be collected?" Caroline spat. "Mon or no Mon, we're still human. Just like you."

A dry laugh. "Don't be ludicrous. You ceased being human when you formed a contract with a Mon. Since then, you've become nothing but a walking time bomb. Providing data is the only positive function that you serve." The Kode had completely disappeared, leaving a shell of a corpse behind. In minutes, the Digitizers arrested Caroline and disposed of the body.

Five tables away, a group of Warriors silently followed the scene. "That isn't true...is it?" Tommy hesitantly questioned his friends.

"Of course not. We might have superpowers, but we're still us," Takuya affirmed. The gogglehead mentally cursed, "Hikaru, that frigging bastard. He heard about the newbie, so he's making a scene on purpose."

Ferrell offered his own words of wisdom on the issue. "Meat is still meat no matter how you slice it."

Xxx

_"No one." Fan Ting stared intently into the raven's eyes. "No one will lay a finger on you while I'm still breathing. I promise."_

"No one will lay a finger on me," Kouji mumbled. "Most definitely." The boy's grip on the thin blankets tightened.

Spiky blue hair bobbed up from his sprawled position on the floor. "What was that?"

"Nothing," came the curt reply. Kouji sat up on the infirmary bed. His usual scowl fell into place, masking the whirlwind of emotions bubbling underneath the surface.

Clambering to his feet, Joe Kido sighed. After several years of snide comments and terse remarks (not to mention broken limbs—Kouji really did _not_ like doctors), he was used to his patient's attitude by now. "Lady Fan Ting gave us special instructions regarding your care before she left." The doctor set a wooden box of pills on the table (Kouji did not like needles either). "We're modifying your current drug regimen to take the Sting Venom's effects into account. This new treatment is quite high-risk and experimental at best. We have no idea what side effects to expect. Then again, we've been shooting in the dark from the very beginning. Your condition is just too unique."

"I understand," Kouji said. Pale fingers traced the grain in the woodwork. Seeing such a bitter expression on the teen's face made something inside the doctor break. How could the world be so cruel? From the little tidbits of Kouji's past that he gleaned over the years, Joe could only feel sorry for the boy.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Joe remarked, "Takuya delivered the plant order for me. He has been annoying the nurses ever since you were admitted hours ago. You're really lucky to have a friend that cares so much about you."

Joe's comment was met with silence, but the Digitizer swore that he caught a fleeting glimpse of a smile on his patient's face.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had my wisdom teeth taken out last week, so I couldn't write. And for some reason, this chapter didn't come to me as easily as the others did. I'm still not sure if I'm 100% satisfied with it. Ah well, I'll just blame all my inadequacies on my bleeding gums.**

**Kouji: Yeah, blame the surgery.**

**Me: Oh? (ties him to a chair and plugs in a power drill) Now, where's the trigeminal nerve located again? (consults anatomy book)**

**Kouji: You're not even training to be a dentist!**

**Me: I don't need any kind of training to torture my favorite character. Muahahaha!**


	6. Ringo around the Rosie

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon. Sometimes I wonder whether or not I even own my own ideas. I mean, don't I just synthesize what I see, hear, and read into something else? Food for thought.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Ringo around the Rosie**

"Oomph!" A fist connected with Tommy's right cheek, effectively knocking his oversized orange hat off of his head. The ice user rolled into a somersault and bounced back to his feet.

Worriedly, Teruo bowed his head in apology. Tommy took the opportunity to send a flying kick at his sparring partner's stomach. The mute boy anticipated the move, however. Calloused hands caught his ankle and twisted him off balance. Not to be outdone, Tommy spun with the movement and brought Teruo down with him. Covered in a layer of grime, both boys burst into a fit of silent laughter.

"I told you to stop apologizing for hitting me. I need the practice," Tommy chided as they pulled each other up. For the past three weeks, Tommy and Teruo had grown incredibly close, mostly due to the similarity in their ages. As it turned out, Teruo was swift on his feet and extremely adept at combat despite being a Digitizer. Tommy often trained with Teruo to hone his own fighting skills. As an added bonus, Kuma's contractor had learned several forms of conventional sign language.

"Did you deliver the apples as Tachikawa instructed?" Teruo signed. In exchange for borrowing her most reliable worker, Tommy often ran small errands for Mimi throughout the base. This time, the boy had dropped off four sizable crates at the Warriors' sleeping quarters.

"Yep. J.P. said that he's donating them to the Orphanage of Beginnings in Kyoto. Zoe, Kouji, and Taku-nii are coming as well. I would have liked to tag along, but I can't leave the base until the mandatory training period is up," Tommy responded, wryly. The new Ice Warrior had started using the affectionate nickname for the rash gogglehead after learning about his past family situation.

Takuya apparently had a younger brother named Shinya, and if he had survived the fire, Shinya would have been Tommy's age. Hence, Takuya felt obliged to save Tommy during their first encounter. After effectively losing a sibling of his own, Tommy empathized with the older brunette. And since Takuya had all but taken him under his wing, Tommy felt the least that he could do was fill part of the void in the other's heart.

"Kouji has been released from the infirmary?" Teruo inquired. J.P., Zoe, and Takuya had been surprised to learn that the greenhouse Digitizers knew the pony-tailed teen. It was hard for them to picture Kouji growing _flowers_ in his free time.

"Yeah, he hasn't been cleared for fieldwork though. The docs want him to take it easy for a bit longer." Speaking of Taku-nii's infamous partner, Tommy was not sure what to make of him. He did not talk much, and when he did, it was to berate Takuya for his stupidity. Despite his gruff exterior, however, Tommy detected an overwhelming sensation of loneliness from the ebony. And God knew how much experience Tommy had with being alone.

A petulant, _Ahem_, sounded in the far recesses of his mind. Tommy chuckled. Okay, maybe not as much as he previously thought.

Xxx

The stall door swung open with a dull creak as a certain Warrior staggered to the bathroom sink for the fifth time that morning. Gargling water to rinse the vomit from his mouth, Kouji cursed, "Damn these stupid side effects." Tiredly, the teen checked his appearance in the mirror. More bile crept up his throat when he took in the image before him.

Weary blue eyes twisted and morphed into fiery red orbs. A striped bandanna dissolved away to reveal a head of midnight blue hair. His signature ponytail fell apart and retracted into short dark locks that stopped near his ears. The boy's crisp hospital gown melted into a threadbare tunic. Crimson liquid dripped ominously down his bare arms. But the most unnerving aspect of the doppelganger was his facial expression. Cracked lips curled into an all-knowing smile. "Soon, very soon," the boy mouthed as the hallucination shattered into a million pieces.

Xxx

"What happened?" Takuya asked, worry evident in his tone.

Dismissively, Kouji waved his bandaged knuckles in the gogglehead's direction. "I just cut my hand on some glass."

"Uh-huh." The brunette was far from convinced, but he let the matter slide. He knew better than to pressure his partner unnecessarily.

"You still look pretty pale. Are you sure you're up to this?" Zoe scrutinized the raven with both hands on either side of his face.

"I'm fine," Kouji insisted. "We're just doing some charity work. It's not like we're slaying any Mon today."

"Yeah, how bad can those kids possibly be? Besides, he hasn't had any fresh air for weeks," J.P. added. "C'mon, Zee!" J.P. knew that Kouji was practically dying from cabin fever.

"I guess it's okay then," the Japanese-Italian relented. "But don't push yourself too hard," she admonished her raven-haired friend.

Glad that he was finally allowed to leave the base, Kouji nodded. Four crates of meat apples lay at the Warriors' feet. They stood in the Gateroom, awaiting the next available transporter.

A deep voice brought their attention back to their supervisor. "Now that we've gotten _that_ settled, remember to send my regards to Suwan." Oda had been observing their exchange, discreetly hiding the order for a new bathroom mirror in his haramaki.

"Say hi to Suwan for me!" Horie chirped.

"Will do!" Takuya saluted as the group stepped onto the platform.

Xxx

"Alright. Here goes!" J.P. rubbed his hands together. Twirling in a huge circle, he sang, "Flowers in the air to take away your cares! Oooh! Flowers in the air!" Out of nowhere, pink daisies rained down from the sky. The teen grinned at the way some of the flowers weaved themselves into a free-floating crown.

Once every month, the Warriors were required to take the day off and experience sunlight. According to Digitizer research, such relaxation was crucial for fending off Mon possessions and extending Kode life. The thunder user usually spent this allotted time helping out with Suwan's orphanage. He wanted to build a sanctuary for children who did not have anyone to care for them. When Zoe learned about his activities, she joined him every month as well. Takuya normally spent his free time playing soccer, but he was adamant about bringing Kouji along today. The gogglehead thought that interacting with the kids would lift the other's spirits.

Therefore, they had left Takuya and Kouji to play with the children while J.P. and Zoe invited orphans from the streets to their meat apple pie dinner. The Thunder Warrior was attracting attention by holding a small magic show.

The floral crown drifted down to land perfectly on a special violet hat. With a flourish of his cape, J.P.'s white suit changed into a checkered blue and yellow t-shirt and jeans. Even in his civvies, he still sported his signature blue wristbands.

Delighted applause followed the brilliant display, led by Zoe Orimoto. Like her partner, the female Warrior was dressed in civilian garb. Her striped lavender halter top exposed her midriff and her lilac miniskirt sacrificed practicality for fashion. A fuchsia hat rounded out her stylish outfit.

"If you want to see more, please come to the Orphanage of Beginnings at 6 tonight. Food will also be served," J.P. proclaimed as he bowed to the audience. Excited cheers rang throughout the motley crowd at the thought of dinner and a show.

As the crowd dispersed, the two Warriors packed their belongings into their knapsacks. "I'd say our promotion was a success." The blonde agent grinned at the talented magician.

"Let's hope that the orphanage is still in one piece by this evening," J.P. stated.

"As long as Suwan doesn't let Kouji and Takuya into the kitchen, it'll be okay." Just thinking about their friends' cooking skills brought a shudder down the agents' spines.

Xxx

"My cooking's not _that_ bad," Takuya complained. Suwan had banned him from touching the food before the dinner. Apparently, J.P. and Zoe had warned her about his poor culinary skills.

"Right. I believe that your last attempt was dubbed 'The Great Hamburger Fiasco.' Nineteen people were wheeled to the infirmary that day," Kouji smirked. The raven wore a navy jacket with a yellow undershirt and dark slacks. As always, his striped bandanna held his hair firmly in place.

"Still not as infamous as your Tropical Squid Surprise. Isn't that why they hired Misaki in the first place?" Takuya teased. Instead of his normal uniform, he was dressed in a red short-sleeved jacket with a golden undershirt and brown cargo pants. His square goggles rested securely on his bushy head.

"Hmph," Kouji huffed as he retreated to the back of the room. His cold demeanor unnerved the kids, so he spent most of his time avoiding them. Not surprisingly, Takuya was good at babysitting. Kouji attributed the brunette's success to his childishness. "They probably connected on some kiddy wavelength," he reasoned.

A shadow behind the window curtains caught his eye. Instantly on high alert, Kouji tensed. "Who's there? Show yourself."

"It's okay!" A five-year-old with ginger pigtails jumped in front of the dark-haired agent. Swallowing hard, she said, "It's just Mamoru."

"Relax, Aiko. Kouji might be a sourpuss, but he doesn't bite." Takuya elbowed his partner in the ribs. "Right, buddy?" he asked in a warning tone.

The raven stiffly nodded.

With an inaudible sigh, Takuya walked towards the cowering child. "Come on out, Mamoru. No need to be shy," the brunette Warrior coaxed.

"No. No way," Kouji murmured.

The moth-eaten cloth fell back to reveal a pair of ruby red irises.

Xxx

"Where are we going?" Zoe inquired. The two agents had left the main begging grounds of the city for more desolate alleyways. If it were not for her training, she would have already ripped her arms on the random metal strips that jutted out from the crumbling walls.

Expertly ducking another rusted protrusion, J.P. answered, "Visiting some old friends of mine. I want to invite them to our dinner." He stopped when he saw a scrawny boy with spiky hair jump nimbly into the street directly in front of them. "I think that's one of them. Oi, Heisuke!"

At the sound of J.P.'s voice, teen swerved to face the duo. Recognition flashed across his face before he bolted in the opposite direction.

"Heisuke! It's just me. Heisuke!" J.P. called after the fleeing figure. The two agents broke into a sprint as they gave chase.

"Damn it! If I wasn't wearing a skirt, we would have caught up to him already!" Zoe swore. They rounded another corner, careful to keep Heisuke in their field of vision.

"It's fine. We're not supposed to reveal the true extent of our skills in broad daylight anyway. Not unless it's an emergency." By this point, the three had abandoned the slums for a bustling shopping district. "What is Heisuke doing here?" J.P. frowned to himself.

Then, as suddenly as he began, Heisuke skidded to a stop in the middle of the town square. The homeless male buckled over as his body shook.

Instinctively, Zoe gripped J.P.'s arm to prevent him from charging at his friend. "Something's not right." The convulsions filled her with a sense of foreboding that she could not shake off.

And then…

Heisuke exploded.

Xxx

A frantically waving hand broke Kouji out of his shock-induced daze. "Are you okay, Kouji?" You look like you've seen a ghost," Takuya asked.

Fighting back a new wave of nausea, Kouji replied, "It's nothing." He mentally slapped himself for letting the medication get the best of him again. It was absolutely impossible for Mamoru to be the person in the mirror. In his head, Kouji began to list off the reasons. "For one thing, he was only ten. And although he was equally pale, the boy sported an ash gray bob cut. Furthermore, the child was missing his left arm."

"A survivor, I'm guessing," Kouji thought. A huge majority of the children in the orphanage were the victims of Mon disasters. Few people escaped those creatures completely unscathed. The Digitizer Teruo was a perfect example. The trauma from his first Mon encounter permanently robbed him of the ability to speak.

"And the final reason—"

"Uhh...hey, Mamoru, do you want to join us? We were about to go outside for a game of soccer!" Takuya broke through Kouji's obsessive musings.

Staring up at the older teens, the cowed child hesitantly shook his head.

"Well, that's okay. We'll be outside if you change—" This time, the fire user was the one interrupted. The ground shook, causing bookcases to topple and picture frames to crash to the floor.

"An earthquake?" Kouji shouted. Shrieks of fear resounded throughout the playroom as the children dodged falling items. The panicked screams intensified when lightning cracked in the distance. Thunder boomed as the wind howled and rain descended in a torrential downpour.

"What's going on out there?" Takuya asked. Even though he was indoors, he could tell that this was no ordinary tempest.

Kouji did not answer. He was too busy trying to keep the children from running around in circles. If they did not calm down, they were going to hurt themselves. He grabbed one girl before she blindly collided into the wall. "It's going to be okay. Stop freaking out." The agent fibbed, "It's just a thunderstorm." They could worry about this strange feeling later.

"It's not working." Takuya cradled a bawling baby in his arms. "Any other ideas?"

The bandanna-wearing boy gritted his teeth in frustration. When he was about to scream himself, a small hand pulled at his jacket. Kouji looked down to see the boy that he had frightened earlier. Mamoru pointed silently at the piano in the center of the room. Since it was nailed to the floor, it had not shifted in the quake.

"You want me to…" Kouji left his statement unfinished.

A curt nod confirmed his suspicions.

"Hmmm." The ebony walked up to the piano and fingered the keys. "You sure about this?"

Another nod as Mamoru scooted his way onto the bench beside him.

"Only one other person ever got that excited for my music," Kouji contemplated. He gazed at the quiet child. "I wonder how he knew."

"What are you doing?" Takuya queried. "Help me out here!" The gogglehead had two toddlers stuck to his ankles and another child crying into his back in addition to the infant from before.

His request went completely ignored. "Did you know that music helps plants grow?" Kouji asked.

"Umm…no? Who cares?"

The dark-haired agent placed his fingers lightly on the piano keys. "It's how I help Mimi out in the greenhouse." And with those words, he began to sing. The melody was soothing, yet the lyrics were powerful. The pleas demanded to be heard, and the prayer sought to be answered. The world paused to listen.

After the first few notes, the children gradually fell silent. Even those too young to speak seemed to grasp the sheer beauty of the song. One by one, the orphans gathered around the piano, mesmerized by the raven's voice. The terror towards the maelstrom faded away.

They understood.

The orphanage was a place of solace, a haven for those abandoned by society. No matter what happened, they could count on this one truth.

As long as they stayed here, they were safe.

* * *

**A/N: The song that Kouji sings is called "Kaze no Rekuiemu," or "Requiem of the Wind" (lyrics by Atsuko Asano, music by Keiichi Suzuki, and performed by Yoshimasa Hosoya). It's the insert song that Nezumi/Rat sings in ****No. 6****. I was searching for a song for Kouji to sing, and I didn't want to use "In the Blue" like everyone else. I didn't include the lyrics because I wasn't sure how FFN feels about that. Please listen to the song if you are interested. It's lovely! By the way, "ringo" means "apple" in Japanese. As always, please read and review!**


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